The Giants and Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders have been linked since the middle of the 2024 season. Joe Schoen, Brian Daboll, and other team brass were seen at numerous Colorado games and speaking to Sanders at the East-West Shrine Bowl sparked rumors that the team is committed to Sanders as their top pick, if available, in April’s draft. Where there’s smoke, there’s often fire. But has it all been a smoke-screen to push the Browns, or another team in a trade, to take Sanders? Do the Giants want their choice of positional player with the third pick?
As of this week, the Giants quarterback room is filled out after signing Russel Wilson and Jameis Winston. However, through the flurry of rumors and speculations brought on during the “silly season” in the NFL offseason, it still seems like Shedeur Sanders to the Giants still feels like a tangible possibility.
What does Sanders do well? Where does he struggle? Is he deserving of being a top 5 pick? He’s far from a perfect prospect, but there’s hope that he can turn into a franchise quarterback.
Shedeur Sanders Strengths as a Prospect
Poise & Pocket Presence
Sanders has a knack for feeling pressure and remaining calm in the midst of chaos. Colorado’s offensive line did him no favors in 2023 and 2024- his pressure to sack rate was 20.1% in 2024 and 25.1% in 2023. However, he overcame it and became one of the most accurate passers in college football with a 74% completion percentage.
A large reason for his ability to overcome pressure despite not being the most athletic quarterback in the world is because Sanders is “pocket mobile.” He is shifty inside the tackle box and can extend plays by just milliseconds to wait for throwing lanes to open. Furthermore, Sanders looks downfield when he scrambles which leads to off-script explosive plays.
Shedeur Sanders traits I've noticed on film:
– Quick Release
– Pretty Accurate
– Good ball velocity
– Good Pocket Navigator
– Okay at extending playsI think his potential in the NFL is somewhere in the range of guys like Geno Smith, Sam Darnold, and Tua Tagovailoa. pic.twitter.com/mOX0qEqDeM
— Snoog's Fantasy HQ (@FFSnoog) January 22, 2025
A thread of my favorite Shedeur Sanders throws and why…
Steps up in the pocket and delivers a great ball in stride to the WR pic.twitter.com/udCsuBENNE
— Brody (@ItsGiantsSzn) March 23, 2025
Accuracy & Ball Placement –
Quarterbacks don’t complete 74% of their passes without showcasing elite accuracy. His precision and composure in the pocket led to one of the most explosive offenses in the nation. Accuracy and ball placement are his best traits, especially in tight windows. Both of which are NFL must-haves for quarterbacks and it makes Sanders appealing as a starter fairly early in his career.
Sanders plays the position similar to a point guard in basketball- his focus is to facilitate and put the offense in the best scenario possible. In many ways, his play style is the antithesis of Cam Ward’s who relies on “hero ball.” If Sanders can adjust to NFL speed and maintain the same composure as he did in college, his accuracy would be an ideal trait for Brian Daboll and the Giants
shedeur sanders. throws. pic.twitter.com/fNqIT8lOLC
— Kyron Samuels (@kyronsamuels) March 16, 2025
Shedeur Sanders' profile is live at @RecepPerception.
He's insanely accurate. And what gets lost in the shuffle of the high volume of short-game discourse that we have is that he also threw 15% of his throws over 20 yards, more than Ward.
full profile here:… pic.twitter.com/xBl4BlQLYq
— Cory (@fakecorykinnan) March 20, 2025
Big-Game Mentality
Sanders’ confidence radiates through every press conference he does. Some pundits and fans claimed to be turned off by his comments at the NFL combine, but his confidence is one of his best traits. In fact, there may not be a player more suited for the New York limelight than him. Not only is he media trained from his father, but he is also already accustomed to playing under a microscope.
Sanders believes that he can change a franchise and win Super Bowls. Who wouldn’t want that mentality in their young quarterback?
Sanders Areas for Improvement
Offensive Line Play & Pressure Handling –
Sanders is far from a perfect prospect. In fact, there are rumors he may even slip out of the first 20 picks. But again, rumors are rumors in March. While his composure in the pocket is a strength, there is also concern about how many sacks were his fault. On film, it looks like Sanders has a tendency to drift backward in the pocket to buy time, but can’t escape the pressure once his tackles break down. There were times he got away with it in college, but the speed of an NFL edge rusher is no comparison to a college player.
Giants fans already know their offensive line is a concern. They just experienced 6 years of quarterbacks taking too many sacks, will Sanders be any improvement in that area?
Shedeur Sanders has a bad tendency to drift backwards in the pocket when he doesn't see things cleanly downfield or when he feels pressure. This puts a lot of strain on his offensive tackles and limits his ability to attack downfield. pic.twitter.com/60ZaMT6u6X
— Nate Tice (@Nate_Tice) March 19, 2025
Arm Strength
What is and what is not an “NFL arm” is always up for debate. It’s a completely subjective conversation, but scouts claim to know it when they see it. As for Sanders, scouts are saying his arm is not elite, but good enough for the NFL.
Is “good enough for the NFL” the standard for a top-5 pick? Traditionally, the successful Giants quarterbacks- Phil Simms, Kerry Collins, and Eli Manning- were able to push the ball through the late-season Meadowland winds. There is serious concern that Sanders doesn’t have the velocity to play in a cold weather stadium. Furthermore, quarterbacks who lack elite arm strength are generally unable to attack all parts of the field. The result is a handicapped passing game that’s vulnerable for exposure. Truly elite passing games, like the Bills, Chiefs, and Bengals ask their quarterbacks to attack all levels of the field and all parts of the field. There should not be any yard untouched in a modern NFL passing attack. There is serious concern that Sanders can do that on a consistent basis.
notes from 2024 Shedeur Sanders film: pic.twitter.com/rr9YXV0hDk
— The QB School (@theqbschool) March 5, 2025
How Shedeur Sanders Fits With the Giants
Would drafting Sanders be the right move for the Giants? Is he worth the third pick in the draft? After breaking down the film, there is a sizable gap between Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders. Sander’s floor is a serviceable starter like Teddy Bridegewater during his time with the Vikings. His ceiling is a quarterback that can potentially crack the top ten in a good situation. Whether or not those range of outcomes are worth a top-five pick is up to Joe Schoen and the rest of the Giants brass.
There’s no denying he’s an NFL-caliber quarterback. If he’s available, Shedeur Sanders to the Giants feels like it could become a reality.
Main Photo: Joe Rondone – Imagn Images
